Sunday Summary – October 11, 2015

Another week is in the books for streets.mn welcoming a new writer explaining the big issue of affordable housing plus some of our regulars with closer looks at bike trails and streets, plus a small assortment of pictures, maps, and videos.

Big issue department

Affordable Housing Is An Industry, Too is an introduction to the affordable housing industry by new streets.mn author Will Stancil, an attorney with the Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity at the University of Minnesota. Affordable housing is more expensive to build in the central cities than the suburbs, yet the network of subsidies and the structure of the industry help guide more affordable housing to the cities. Commenters ask some good questions about other advantages of putting affordable housing in denser cities with better access to jobs and transit compared to benefits of suburban schools and jobs.

Trails and bikes department

In good news, At Long Last, Warner Road Bridge Trail is Open documents the improvements to the Warner Road Bridge on the Sam Morgan Regional Trail with new lighting and grade separated crossings to strengthen this formerly weakest link. In the less good news when it comes to improvements, Where Do You Want To Ride? asks this question of one segment of Ramsey County Road E in Arden Hills with its four lanes of motor vehicle traffic and narrow gutter pan “bike lane.” Looking further that where you want to ride, but question also asks where would your child, older parent, or person using a motorized scooter or wheelchair want to ride? Finally, some design suggestions for how this could be better are included.

Audiovisual department

Video:Late Show with Stephen Colbert Intro is a video clip which doesn’t show the show, but shows the intro which “Without saying anything, it’s so positive about New York City and its urban environment. People! Streetscapes! Buses! Landmarks! Trains! Boats! Bridges! Taxis! Stadia! Boulevards!” And That Stop Sign Has a Gun is a short video which is about just what the title says.

Getting to mid-October and “MEA Weekend” where kids get off school and parents struggle to juggle that work/life balance as a result. Perhaps this would be the opportunity to forget work (whether or not you have kids) and go to the Minnesota History Center’s new Suburbia exhibit (and then write about it for us). Enjoy the swirling leaves and have a great week!